What's the Matter Here? - Natalie Merchant
That young boy without a name
anywhere I'd know his face
in this city the kid's my favorite
I've seen him, seen him, I see him every day
I've seen him run outside
looking for a place to hide from his father
the kid half naked
and said to myself,
"O, what's the matter here?"
I'm tired of the excuses everybody uses
he's their kid I stay out of it,
but who gave you the right to do this?
We live on Morgan Street
just ten feet between
and his mother, I never see her
but her screams and cussing
I hear them every day
Threats like, "if you don't mind I will beat on your behind"
"slap you, slap you silly" made me say,
"O, what's the matter here?"
I'm tired of the excuses everybody uses, he's your kid
do as you see fit, but get this through that I know what you do
and what you did to your own flesh and blood
"If you don't sit in your chair straight
I'll take this belt from around my waist
and don't think that I won't use it!"
Answer me and take your time
what could be the awful crime
he could do at such young an age?
If I'm the only witness to your madness
offer me some words to balance out
what I see and what I hear
All these cold and rude things that you do
I suppose you do because he belongs to you
instead of love and the feel of warmth
you've given him these cuts and sores
that won't heal with time or age
I want to say,
"what's the matter here?"
but I don't dare say.
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